Healthi · B2C · diet and weight loss app
Let free users read the community, but only paying members can post
Trolls and bullies left overnight; users now name the community as what they love
Workedpaywallcommunityretention
What they did
Healthi built an in-app community (a 'mini-Facebook' of threads and comments). Free users can view everything and see the advice shared; writing posts requires a Pro subscription ($30/year). Reasoning: weight is a sensitive topic and fat-shaming is real; bullies and trolls won't pay. Viewing stays free because the community is a key asset that has to pull people in, and longer engagement raises the chance they buy.
What happened
Community became clean 'overnight'; people in the industry cite the community as the first thing they love about Healthi.
In their words
Sub Club by RevenueCat · How Freemium Can Outperform Free Trials – Shaun Steingold, Momentum Labs“What we did is we made viewing the community free. If you're a free user, you get to see the community.”
“You can only post if you are a paying member of our Pro service.”
“What we learnt is bullies and trolls won't pay. So by making posting part of a Pro service, we kept our community clean overnight.”
Related topics
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- Momentum Labs: Skip the free trial; give a useful free version with a clear limit insteadGuest says trials never beat plain freemium in his or mentored apps; no numbers
- Momentum Labs: Fix a bought app's store listing once, then mostly leave it alone
- Healthi: Charge $30 a year and offer a free version where rivals charge $230-400Guest calls it the 'sweet spot' of Healthi's success; no numbers
- Healthi: Add paid coaching and an online store of branded diet products
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